by Milene Brownlow, PhD Nowadays, blogging about ketogenic diets hardly requires an introductory paragraph. Most of us are bombarded with newsletters, emails, and personal stories of how cutting back on carbs and increasing consumption of healthy fats yield remarkable benefits. The popularity of the diet is largely due to its effects on weight loss and improved metabolism. Yet, long before a trending topic on every social media platform, ketogenic diets were specifically, clinically used for seizure control in the treatment…

Obesity and cardiometabolic disease are metabolic perturbations associated with inflammation chronicity. The Western diet is typified by a surplus of calories, low nutritional quality, and high pro-inflammatory potential, thereby fueling excess adiposity, which further leads to inflammation. To break this obesity-inflammation cycle, adopting a healthful dietary pattern and incorporating regular physical activity is critical. Furthermore, identifying foods and nutritional bioactives that can reduce or counteract inflammation is important for the development of targeted nutrition therapies. This blog focuses on a…

by Whitney Crouch, RDN, CLT What is Golden Milk? Popularized across social media, golden milk is a cross-cultural drink originating in Asian countries and consumed for its anti-inflammatory properties and pungent flavor. Also known as “golden milk latte” or “turmeric tea”, golden milk is made with freshly grated or ground turmeric, a pinch of freshly ground pepper, honey or lemon to taste, and hot water, milk, or dairy alternative.1-2 The addition of freshly grated or ground ginger adds extra flavor…

by Bianca Garilli, ND In individuals with overweight or obesity, it only takes a 5% reduction in body weight to create potentially significant improvements in LDL and total cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood glucose.1 The challenge in the weight loss field however, is often less about losing this initial 5% but rather maintaining the loss over an extended period of time. In fact, only 20% of people maintain their weight loss over the long-term, with 10-80% of individuals returning to their…

by Vincent Pedre, MD Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a controversial diagnosis that can masquerade behind a variety of symptoms, not all of which involve the characteristic bloating, gas and abdominal pain. SIBO also manifests as rosacea,1 diarrhea, constipation, anxiety,2 depression, fatigue, and iron deficiency. The astute clinician needs to hold a high degree of suspicion because a patient with SIBO may not present with the classic symptoms. For example, a recent severe case I saw presented only with diarrhea. Definitions First…

by Romilly Hodges, MS, CNS Dynamic Bone Bone is not a static entity in our body. Our body is continually actively forming bone, as well as breaking it down—a process called bone remodeling. Osteoblast cells are responsible for forming bone matrix, a collagen-proteoglycan mix that can bind mineral salts, mostly as calcium hydroxyapatite. Osteoclast cells are active in resorbing bone matrix by secreting cathepsin K proteases that catabolize bone collagen, and hydrogen ions that lower the surrounding pH and solubilize minerals. A healthy…

by Christopher Moulton, PhD Pectin is a complex and heterogeneous aggregation of polysaccharides first isolated from plant matter in 1825 by French chemist and pharmacist Henri Bracconot.1 Pectin is the major constituent of all plant primary cell walls, contributing to the plant’s structural integrity and providing a barrier to the external environment. Consequently, pectin is a component of all omnivorous diets. Pectin is known to be a soluble, prebiotic fiber that bypasses human digestion in the small intestine, but is…

Functional Medicine and Women’s Health: Interview with Joel Evans, MD Part 2: PCOS & Preconception Care/Fertility In this series, we sat down with Joel Evans, MD to talk about Functional Medicine options for common women’s health issues. Q: What is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and what causes it? A: In order to understand polycystic ovarian syndrome, it’s important to understand that it is a syndrome. When we use the word “syndrome” in medicine, it usually means there are many different symptoms and…

Functional Medicine and Women’s Health: Interview with Joel Evans, MD Part 1: Thyroid, Adrenals & Excess Estrogen We sat down with Joel Evans, MD to talk about Functional Medicine options for common women’s health issues. Q: Let’s talk about thyroid dysfunction. What are underlying causes that can be addressed through nutrition? What are the risks if left unaddressed? A: Thyroid dysfunction is incredibly prevalent, and the signs may be a little bit insidious. That’s why we have to evaluate our patients for thyroid…

You try to eat well to feel good and stay healthy. While it’s optimal to get your daily nutritional needs from the foods you eat, it’s just plain difficult. There is conflicting information out there on the benefits of supplements, but the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020 say that supplements may be useful for providing the nutrients you may be lacking from diet alone. Still on the fence? Consider these top five reasons to add a multivitamin to your daily regimen. 1. Healthy…